Soldier Record
Leonard John Pearson
Contributed by: Ian C Pearson, on 2008-11-11
| Rank | |
|---|---|
| First Name | Leonard John |
| Surname | Pearson |
| Year of Birth | 1891 |
| Year of Death | 1964 |
| Regiment | Royal Engineers |
| Place of Wartime Residence | Northfield, Birmingham, Warwickshire |
Leonard John's Story
Leonard joined the Royal Engineers like his elder brother Kenneth. He also transfered to the fying arm of the R.E which became the Royal Flying Corps.
He passed his flying test (receiving Royal Aero Club Certificate No. 1981) on 3rd November 1915, flying a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School, Montrose.
He flew a single seater Biplane as a fighter pilot and in 1917 he was captured and sent to the famous Holzminden POW camp in Germany where 29 escaped via Tunnel. He was 30th in line and the Tunnel collapsed and subsided on him. He was wearing his uniform with his escape clothes over the top. A Major J W Shaw was behind him in the queue. H. G. Durnford wrote the Book The Tunnellers of Holzminden.
When he returned the London Gazette dated Tuesday 16th December 1919 :- Mentioned in Reports for valuable services
whilst in captivity, and noted accordingly in the Official.Records of the Air Ministry:- Flying Officer Leonard John Pearson- (R.E.).
No additional memories have been submitted